Breeder mice

[NetBSD]

Well im thinkin of breeding my own mice, i now have a Ribbon, Garter and a Ball Python plus there is another reptile show Dec. 6th so i know ill be getting another kind of snake. so this might save me a few bucks in the long run plaus i always liked mice.

so to make this simple whats all needed to start? i know i need 2 mice ofcourse but how should i go about picking them? i know from when i was a kid it was easier for 2 mice to get along if you got them when they were raised together but isnt there a worry about breeding a brother and sister? also will a 10 gallon tank be good enough for mice and will one of those hamster cages with the tubes be good? i would like my mice to be happy and have tubes to run thru if it will be good for them.

what steps need to be taken once i get some baby mice? do i just let mom take care of this? i kinda think i remember hearing the fathjer has to be removed from the babies.

does a mouse only mate in certain enviroments and time of year? are there any special steps to be taken to encourage mating? how long does it take for a female to give birth to young ones? how long till the young ones can be removed from the mother?

i know alot of questions but i wanna know the basics and maybe a little more before i get into this. i know how to care for them because i had them as a kid.

thanks in advance and hopefully some of you can chime in and point me in the right direction.

[EdgyExoticReptiles]

a ten gallon could hold 1.3 or 1.4 mice. just normal adults should do, i think the temps supposed to be under 70F and the females will take care of the babies but if u want frozen pinkies just pop em in the freezer
KEEPING AND BREEDING FEEDER MICE FOR REPTILES

[Stefan-A]

It's recommended that you start with at least 3 mice; two females per male minimum. Inbreeding shouldn't really be a problem, but getting mice that aren't familiar with each other shouldn't cause problems if they're introduced properly. It might even be more important to not get females that have already established themselves as a group, because there's a chance that they'll kill the male. If they have done it, you should still be able to get around that by separating them and introducing them one at a time. A 10 gallon tank is big enough for a group. Wouldn't get them any toys, the "experts" say it will distract them from what's important. Let mom take care of the babies. They'll be weaned in about a month and then you need to get them a cage of their own. I know some breeders wean them "manually" sooner than that, but that's nothing to worry about. The male doesn't necessarily need to be removed, but it's best to keep an eye on the females and see how they behave towards him. Mice will mate all year round, but they seem to prefer the same conditions (temperature, humidity) as we do. No special steps are needed, they'll take care of it themselves. You might want to add more proteine to their diet to keep them from eating babies. I think they're gravid for about 19-21 days, or something along those lines. There are a couple of threads about it here on the forum. I'm really just repeating what I remember from my own breeding attempt.

Beware of the smell.

[infernalis]

Here is a really good thread with a lot of mice stories and tips.

http://www.thamnophis.com/forum/gart...-mice-you.html

[brain]

I have been breeding mice and rats for some time and from that I’ll share.
Mice not recommended for the larger snakes (not enough protein) but great for smaller snakes. Yes, a 10 gallon is great for about 45 days then glean out the younger’s. After about the third or fourth “liter” (not clutch) start thinking about replacing the trio. I will keep a breeding trio for about 6 to 8 months or as they have smaller liters. Yes, a female with pups will be very defensive towards a new female, intro a new female in between liters. For the fighting I will watch for the aggression then spray mist with water the entire cage. This tends to calm all involved and the body scents will get mixed. I use Kaytee Small Animal Feed others tend to produce tumors in the mouse. Forti-Diet Mouse by Kaytee gets expensive on large scales. Both can be at PetCo or local feed store. In breading can occur after about three years so I tend to bring in new blood lines from time to time. Agreed if the female starts this cannibalism fed her off there is no correcting the. Why does it happen??? Your guess is as good as mine. I have heard it’s from the food but I have been using Kaytee for years and still the problem. Some have said it’s from the lack of water. I have a constant feed water system and still I have the problem of cannibalism.
Hope this helps. Oh yea be prepared for the urine smell or musk of the males
Michael

[adamanteus]

Thanks for the input, Michael... and welcome.

[Stefan-A]

Welcome aboard, Michael.

[infernalis]

Welcome, all good advice.....

However I still don't get the smell thing, Maybe we change the shavings too often??

Also I'd like to point out, as tempting as it may seem, avoid cedar chips.

They smell nice, but will cause respiratory problems, Your mice may be food, but why subject them to breathing ailments.

And I almost forgot, Mice can and will choke up the exercise wheel, then climb up on top of it, and leap out of the cage if it is not covered.

Since the mice are not "display" animals, I use tote boxes, drill some holes in the top for air...

[NetBSD]

thanks for all the info guys, most of it is what i expected but wanted to make sure. im probably going to hold off on the breeding for another month due to money being tight and i need to buy some stuff to start up, so if anyone wants to chime in some more be my guest, the more info the better.

[infernalis]

Here is an important piece of advice.

GROW THICK SKIN!

I love animals, all of them, more than a lot of humans I have encountered.

Mice will die, they will eat each other, kill babies, many will become "cute" and it will be harder for you to feed them to the snakes if you feel anything for them aside from respect for the food chain.

I only give names to the parent mice, no name is easier to feed than "Squeaky"

Don't handle them, keep your distance emotionally and otherwise, it will simplify things.

I have been raising mice for a while now, and just recently ordered mice from Rodent Pro, well I separated the mice and reduced the breeding... WHY?

ordering 400+ mice from rodent pro is cheaper, easier and they are already dead....

Still have 5 totes going, just a lot less reproducing.

You already showed us you have a heart by trying so hard to save little pinky.